Awesome quick read! I've loved all of Levenseller's books so far and this one is just as good!
I'd recommend it to older teens who are into adventure and fantasy.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book had me super excited to read it and the opening lines certainly didn’t disappoint: “They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.”

Unfortunately, things went downhill after that. While our protagonist is supposed to be an independent, strong woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to get it, I found her to be one-note and annoying. It seemed that every time the plot started to move, we had to stop and have another lesson from the author about women’s sexual needs and that women should be able to sleep around just like men do. This pattern was repeated so often that it began to feel more like an essay on equality for women with some story interspersed. As a woman, I am in favor of women being treated equally with men. However, when I pick up a novel to read a good story about a tough girl who is determined to be queen, I expect that to be the focus of what I’m reading, but sadly that was not the case here.

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

'll first say that I absolutely loved the story line!

This book was SO GOOD but needed more!!!

This story was incredibly told weaving magic as lush as it is dark in this tale of what drives and motivates us all. Is it love, power or something else? And is power enough to make us happy? Unique in its telling, I see this novel going SO far!

Alessandra's father is convinced her older sister can catch the King's eye. Instead, Alessandra does. She spends time with him, even moving in to the adjoining bedroom. While plotting to become his wife and then kill him to become queen herself, Alessandra begins to have feelings for the Shadow King. The next installment in this saga should prove as fascinating as the first.

I wanted to like this book much more than I did. It was an interesting story which kept my attention but I did not like the main characters. The Shadow King, Kalias and Alessandra are on an outing and an intruder gets close to them. Kalias immediately kills one of the guards that let the intruder through and assures Alessandra that the rest will get the same fate. There is a Robin Hood figure that they catch by marking money. He is dealt with when he is caught as are all the peasants who took money from him. To me, this violence does not add to the story line and could easily have been left out making Kalias and Alessandra much more likable.

This was one of the most enthralling books I've read in 2019! I was captivated by the characters and all of the unique aspects of the story. The tension between Alessandra and the King was AMAZING. The romance was just so good! Not only did the tension between our two main characters drive the plot, but they evolved and matured in a way that was honestly unexpected. While I wish there were more books to come, I'm extremely happy with the way things ended. This was certainly a 5 star read.

I've read all of Levenseller's books, and this was really her best so far.

I have enjoyed previous books by Levenseller and was looking forward to her latest release, which did not disappoint. Alessandra is determined to marry the Shadow King, so she makes a plan to woo the king, marry him, and then kill him to take the kingdom for herself. Kallias is the Shadow King whose life is filled with loneliness and people he doesn't trust. After his family was murdered and he became King he has been pushed by his advisors to find a wife. Kallias makes an offer to Alessandra to fake a courtship. Nothing goes as planned for either.

Alessandra is a strong, fierce character who is not afraid to speak her mind. She has pretty devious intentions at the start, but I loved the friendship she forms with Kallias and how she starts to see things are not how she originally thought. Alessandra does make some rash decisions without thinking through the consequences, but I do like how she grows throughout the book and I particularly enjoyed the friendship she forms with Kallias.

Kallias has a pretty lonely life, he trusts nobody and keeps a safe distance from everyone because of his constant fear of an assassination attempt. When Kallias makes the fake courtship plan with Alessandra he finally starts to have someone that he can rely upon, a friend that he feels he can trust. Kallias starts to question how he has been living his life and finds that he no longer wants to live in constant fear. I loved seeing the time that Kallias and Alessandra spend together and how each learn to let another person in and trust.

This was a fast paced book filled with friendship, mystery, and betrayal. I enjoyed all the twists and turns along the way. A fun read with an ending I enjoyed.

First of, this had to be one of my MOST aanticepated titles of 2020! It's dark, and swoon and just so good. I especially loved Alessandra, she is such a bad ass!

"The Shadows Between Us" by Tricia Levenseller had a fantastic ending for me with all the heartache and feels and swoony kissing and big twists and all that, but honestly, I was expecting more romance. It felt very slow to build and it took a little longer for me to get into the story for that reason. I'm okay with holding off physical contact for tension, but only if there is tension and these two just were so good at acting like they didn't care about each other that it kind of felt like they really didn't until they finally started acting like they did. But I know others felt differently, so maybe I'm just a sucker for kissing and was mad there wasn't as much as I wanted. Moral of the story, the last third made up for whatever slowness I experienced in the beginning and I still read it in three days. So I'm calling it four stars!

”Aren’t we all drawn to our friends in the beginning by trifling things? True bonds develop afterward, when character is revealed.”

thank you netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

my initial thoughts:

-unapologetically terrible characters. yes!!! they don’t hide who they are. or tone it down for anyone.
-sarcastic main character. love her.
-whenever she reads her letters she adds a bunch of asides and skips the boring bits like actual people do who read letters do. it is funnier in context.
-sex positive. but this is *actually* sex positive. so many times you hear a book is sex positive and what they really mean is “this book says it’s okay to have sex.” which is great. but sex positive also means “it’s okay to not have sex. or to wait for a while to have sex. or to only have sex when you (and your partner) are ready for it.” and this book has both. it so was sweet.
-a cool ending
-i just really love how much these characters are unapologetically bad.
-it has a lot of clothing descriptions and i really wish we got some illustrations because i cannot picture them for the life of me. this plays a large role in the book.
-this book has an mc who cannot fight. she isn’t physically fit. but she is smart and cunning and loves fashion and is a strong female character.
-it has some boring bits. this wasn’t a binge read for me. it took multiple days of only read a few chapters at a time. it’s slow. but very enjoyable. so know going into it that this is more of strategy and mind games than battles or action. the plot is slow but worth it.
-the writing style reminds me of that of A SORCERY OF THORNS so if you liked that writing style you’ll probably like this.
-this world is quite sexist BUT it is always challenged.
-it addresses being lonely for fear of being hurt which is super relatable.
-also addresses that you should be true to yourself...whoever that may be.
-overall i really enjoyed this!!!!

Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings: death, murder, death of family members, alcohol consumption

(side note: will post full review on my blog 3-4 weeks prior to book's release)

Although the main characters are teenagers, this book is an adult crossover. I did enjoy reading the book for a break from YA but was disappointed that it would not work for my library.

I don't even know where to start with this review. I am a huge fan of Trisha Levenseller! She has not let me down with any of her novels and this one by far is my favorite.

Levenseller was able to create two characters who are evil, but lovable at the same time. Both main characters are practically villains in their own way, but yet I could not help myself but root for the both of them. I am also a huge lover of a slow burn romance, which the author did a great job with in this novel. They go from strangers to best friends to lovers-- and I loved every minute of it! They truly were perfect for each other.

I found myself torn with all types of emotions while reading. In one chapter I knew what Alessandra was doing/did is wrong, but I loved her for it. I actually questioned my sanity! What is wrong with me that I am rooting for this girl and loving every sneaky little thing she is doing? LOL! I couldn't help myself. I also loved how ruthless the Shadow King can be, but soft at the same time. The fact that the author can bring that out in me by just a couple of words is a 5 STAR all the way!! Love her writing and will FOREVER be a fan.

I completely lost myself in this book and it has been a long time that I've been able to read a book from beginning to end. THE SHADOW KING has brought out my passion for reading again. I am so happy I was able to snag a copy. It is definitely a MUST-READ for 2020! A Good Choice for Reading! 5 HUGE Stars from me!

I loved it, such good fun.

Alessandra knows what she wants and how to get it, through court intrigue and seduction. There's a lot of the structure of a traditional romance, and it is one (with happy ending) but what makes this different is the characters are scheming and cutthroat and the text doesn't punish them for that. The author describes this as a "Slytherin romance".

I have read many historicals where one character (usually the hero) gets upset with what another (usually the heroine) has done without realizing how little power a woman can have and how she might have to do things to survive. Sometimes his apology is part of the grovel, sometimes not, but it felt so good to have a novel where the text doesn't look down on the heroine for doing bad things to get where she wants to be, and in fact if it isn't necessarily survival but just some form of justice? Some form of getting ahead? That's okay too.

There are some plot points I guessed, and I would have liked more court intrigue/scheming, but it's overall a satisfying story that kept me interested throughout and I can see this as being highly rereadable. Alessandra has flexible morals but not no morals. She is a good friend and loyal in her own way, although unused to having people worthy of that strong friendship in her life. She's never been valued but still maintains that she is a worthy person. I loved that [she didn't let her father back in her life, too many books go for redemption and end up with an unfortunate implication of forgiving your abuser. Her father's emotional neglect and view of her as an object he can hand off to some husband for money wasn't going to end with her as a queen. He wasn't going to suddenly be a good dad. (hide spoiler)]

Romance novels often have some big secret or misunderstanding, and there's some of that here, enough to keep it interesting, but some stuff is avoided. [ Alessandra doesn't even have to admit she killed Hektor, Kallias just knows, because he knows her, and he bursts out laughing. I really liked that. I get it in fantasy sometimes but not enough, the reveal that someone did something "bad" and other characters shrug like "yeah sometimes you gotta". (hide spoiler)]

Highly recommended to people who like interesting characters who still find love, and anyone who likes soft court intrigue books without having to dig through a whole lot of complicated politics or fantasy maps and words. It's not a super long book, and I was interested enough that it flew by, so it would be a great palate cleanser after a long or dry book.

I was a little worried at first, The Shadow King, or similar, is a name I have heard in a few other plots that started storing, only to disappoint. I am so excited that in this world, author Tricia Levenseller has allowed The Shadow King to be a person, be someone we can see a glimpse of and not get bored.

We are introduced to an eager girl, Alessandra, who has a crap family and refuses to roll over and play dead - for anyone. She sets her goals and will not let anyone stand in her way to achieve them. I am thrilled with storyline of friendship development, whodunnit (although I knew from the start so perhaps predictable a bit?), and intense love development amongst various characters.

I gladly give this book 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to reading more of Levenseller's works.

I just reviewed the amazing ARC: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller. #NetGalley

I was provided an arc in exchange for an honest review.

"They've never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will."

Those are the opening sentences to this glorious book and I was hooked immediately. I didn't stop reading until I had to force my fingers to let go of the book and go to sleep for work, which was a tragedy in and of itself. I wanted to know, needed to know, what happened next. It was all the best things that are delicious and a little dark.

The characters were enchanting and layered:

- Alessandra being the most fleshed out since she's our narrator. "1) Woo the Shadow King. 2) Marry him. 3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself" Just from this little tidbit in the synopsis we know she's ambitious and then from the opening sentence mentioned above we know she can be ruthless in her desires. She also has the wonderful hobby of making her own clothes. It was nice to read about a character with hobbies that added to her character and made her feel all the more authentic.

- Kallias, pronounced Kuh-lie-us, I appreciated when Alessandra enunciated his name right after meeting him because I was pronouncing it completely incorrectly in my head. Kallias seems like a delicious mix of the Darkling and Rhysand and I still think that's true after reading it. Kallias is called the Shadow King, he can make himself incorporeal if he so wishes as long as there's no one around that's touched his skin. As soon as he's vulnerable with someone his shadows won't work around them. So he can be immortal or he can be human. His father lived for three centuries before meeting his mother. But Kallias is 19, I might be off a little but I'm pretty sure he's a teenager still, and there's nothing wrong with that. But he's only went a little while without being able to touch those around him. I would have loved if he had been just a little older, a little more lonely (that sounds so cruel as I type it) but I think it would have made it all the more sweeter if or when he gives in.

"You are beautiful," he continues. "But not so beautiful as to tempt me." I read this and laughed and laughed, he's not just the Darkling and Rhys but he's also Mr. Darcy. He's a wonderful edition to the small pile of book boyfriends worth having.

The plot was a roller coaster. We know Alessandra is at the palace to woo and kill the king but she's swept into the thick of things immediately. There's blackmail, friends, other suitors, and a Constable on a mission. It's a frenzy and its amazing. There were several scenes that did not turn out the way I expected while other scenes screamed their foretelling. So it was a nice blend that kept me mostly guessing.

Another point of praise is that Alessandra makes a point in hiding her multitude of past bed partners but when Kallias finds out he doesn't persecute and cry foul. He says, "how can men expect all the ladies to remain virgins while they don't?" and I wanted to stand up and clap. In fact I will right now. I have always hated that double standard that's mentioned in real life as well as in literature.

I would have even loved if this book were a little or much longer. When a book is a standalone it makes me sad when it's under 400 pages, it's a give me everything mentality since this is all I have.

Read the book. Love the book. The end.

This book was described by the author as her "Slytherin Romance" book and those words made it automatically shoot to the very top of my TBR pile. I am so happy about that.

There are some books you simply can't stop reading. And during a long, busy, exhausting week, I read this book over the course of 2 nights in the late hours past my bedtime. I stayed up until 2am for 2 consecutive nights, unable and unwilling to set this down until I was physically too exhausted to keep my eyes open any longer, despite knowing I would be awake by 5am that same day.

I'm not even a huge romance fan. And yet. And yet.

This is the apparently the only kind of romance I'm immediately drawn to, though. Murderous, vengeful, manipulative, hilarious. One page 1 of this book our MC speaks about driving a dagger through the chest of her first love when he betrayed her. This is not a spoiler, it is literally PAGE ONE.

It all gets better and darker and more amazing from there. I love the two main characters so much.

I will definitely be buying a finished copy to re-read and re-read and re-read as soon as I can.

Hashtag swoon.

Absolutely loved! One of the best openings I have ever read, characters with questionable morals that you will root for, plot twists, and magic!

I don't think that anything could give a better idea of how I feel about this book than the fact that I read it in one sitting. And there went that, well spent, Saturday. It is so hard to pick a favorite author because the books they write vary, your mood can change, and there are just so many good authors and books. However, I think Tricia Levenseller has defied my odds and become my favorite author. I have loved every single one of her books. The characters are amazing, well thought out, and the romances are exactly the balance I like between plot and how steamy it gets. Another thing that amazes me about her books is that all the settings are wonderful and she does them so well. She can jump from the sea to the jungle and now to a palace and the life of the court and make them all so believable and engaging.

Since I have been mostly talking about the author rather than the book let me talk about the actual book for a second. It was branded as a Slytherin romance and I think that is a perfect description. I will admit that as I began reading I was a little worried that I wouldn't like the main character because she was.. well a Slytherin. (I am a Hufflepuff so the way she thinks just doesn't mesh with my peaceful ways ;) However, I still loved her and was rooting for her (most of the time). Plus, I found her character arc as the book progressed all the more satisfying because of how I felt at the beginning.

Basically, you should the book and every book written by the author. I am anxiously awaiting her next book!!

I love this book! The "heroine" is unapologetically cynical as is her counterpart. Tricia Levenseller has made another beautifully crafted story with characters you root for as well as shake your hair at. I would totally recommend this to anyone who is a Slytherin and enjoys and a relationship with many twists and turns.